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Saturday, February 5, 2011

Run with Foot Pain or No Gain

Over the last two years I've run through a variety injuries, the most common being pain related to my feet. I have had pain in my arch which had similar symptoms to Plantar Fasciitis. I also have had problems with the top of my foot near my metatarsals. In addition, I have broken or seriously damaged my big toe on both feet at least three times. Here are some tricks that help me run through this pain, but as you know, each of us have a different threshold and tolerance for pain, so be careful and don't risk injury if you don't need to. Use common sense and before trying any of these techniques always see your doctor first.
Lets start with that oh so sensitive area--the arch. When I first started running distances of 5 miles or more, I would have pain in and along my arch line. After trying a number of different remedies, I determined the pain was caused by switching shoes. When arch support changes from shoe to shoe this tends to cause pain in your arch. I have always been the type to run through this, but this pain was so severe, I needed to counteract it somehow. I found taping the arch provided the extra support needed to get through my runs and overtime the pain would disappear. The following link was very successful for me (consult your doctor first). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1ZEJ-kKTg&NR=1 The down side was that the tape when wet would start pealing back around mile 3 or 4. The key for me was wearing tight socks. Tight socks seem to hold the tape in place a bit better. The second technique I found that seems to work is going with a shoe 1/2 to 1 size larger and to obtain shoe inserts with extra arch support. I prefer Gel inserts because it provides padding as well as the arch support needed. It also molds around your foot for extra support. Below is a link that provides helpful information in more detail. http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v6503955NrdCBRm7
Now lets get into those painful metatarsal injuries. I have found that running shoes without appropriate tongue padding bruises the top of my foot and provides for painful metatarsals. To get around this, I prefer to wear thin socks to give me extra room. I also buy shoes with extra padding and finally I use shoelace locks which give me a consistent tightness of the lace. I have found that shoes that are too tight cause these problems. These techniques work for me and might work for you. More can be found on shoelace clips here http://www.helium.com/items/1653719-products-to-keep-shoelaces-tied
Finally, have you ever been running and catch your shoe on your full down stride on the edge of an uneven sidewalk and jam or break your big toe. I do this two or three times a year and end up with a broken or badly bruised toe. My toe turned purple and looked like a ripened plum. These are several toe injuries you can get from this type of violent collision. The last two times this happened, I've been able to run through this pain, but this injury seems to be the most painful. For more links associated to these types of injuries try this link http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=12154&PageNum=&CategoryID The best remedy is to see your doctor and get plenty of rest. If you are a hard charger, make sure you have sturdy shoes to get through it. Also make sure you ice and heat, and ice and heat. Buddy taping your toes also helps provide additional stability, but going to your doctor is the best approach. For more info on buddy taping see http://www.ehow.com/how_2302444_tape-broken-toe.html.